hillfort
Sign in to savethumb|300px|Maiden Castle, Dorset|Maiden Castle in England is one of the largest hillforts in Europe. Photograph taken in 1935 by Major George Allen (1891–1940).
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A hillfort is a fortified settlement built on elevated terrain, designed with defensive structures to protect its inhabitants. Maiden Castle in Dorset, England, shown here, is one of Europe's largest examples and demonstrates the scale and importance these structures held in ancient times.
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Article
21 sectionsContents
- Celtic hillforts
- Great Britain
- Ireland
- Other hillforts in Europe
- Migration Period Germany
- Sweden
- Norway
- Denmark
- Finland
- Estonia
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Gords in Eastern Europe
- Hillforts elsewhere in the world
- Philippines
- New Zealand
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|300px|Maiden Castle, Dorset|Maiden Castle in England is one of the largest hillforts in Europe. Photograph taken in 1935 by Major George Allen (1891–1940).
A hillfort is a type of fortified refuge or defended settlement located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typical of the late European Bronze Age and Iron Age. Some were used in the post-Roman period. The fortification usually follows the contours of a hill and consists of one or more lines of earthworks or stone ramparts, with stockades or defensive walls, and external ditches. If enemies were approaching, the inhabitants would spot them from a distance.